ST. PAUL, Minn. — What happened to the NHL's best road team? Somewhere between Denver and Minnesota, the Avs got hopelessly lost. They got beat 2-1 on Thursday, allowing the Wild to even the opening-round playoff series at two victories apiece.

But here's what was disturbing: After leading the league with 26 road victories during the regular season, the Avs had no shot and no clue in Minnesota. One goal in two games will not get it done.

"We have to hit the net, we have to force the goalie to make the saves, then our confidence will be coming back," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said.

Hello, Matt Duchene. Colorado turns its desperate eyes to you.

Roy should be a lock for NHL coach of the year.

What's forgotten is Roy, despite all of his Stanley Cup glory as a goalie from Montreal to Colorado, is now a rookie coach in the playoffs.

"I'm learning. The playoffs are a learning experience for me. You always have to be learning," Roy said. "But I was learning for all those years as a coach in juniors. And I hope I am learning forever as a coach."

If the learning curve is steep and slippery for a dozen Colorado players making their first appearance in the Stanley Cup chase, then it's also a stern test for Roy as a coach.

"I sit after a playoff game, and always think to myself: 'What could I have done different to maybe create a little more offense for our team? Could I have gambled more?' " Roy said Thursday morning, as he leaned comfortably against a wall outside the Avalanche dressing room. "It is the same as a coach as it was for me as a player. I don't want to make the same mistake twice."

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Stumped for answers on how to generate offense, Roy again pulled goalie Semyon Varlamov early in the third period and went to the extreme measure of trying six skaters when the Wild was assessed a penalty and went a man down in the final two minutes.

It didn't work.

There is a growing sense Roy has begun to worry about the production of forward P.A. Parenteau, who hasn't been the same since early March, when the 31-year-old veteran suffered a medial collateral ligament sprain in his right knee.

Roy opened Game 4 by playing Parenteau on his top line alongside Paul Stastny and Gabe Landeskog, but quickly abandoned the look. While this is also Parenteau's first trip to the playoffs, he must give more to a young team than no goals and no assists through four games against Minnesota.

It is an open secret that not long ago Colorado was listening to trade-deadline offers for Parenteau, whose 43 points tied for the scoring lead on the Avalanche a year ago, albeit with a team that finished at the bottom of the league standings before Roy was hired.

Parenteau has volunteered that it's difficult for him — or any player — not to press when enduring a scoring drought under playoff duress. As a player owed $8 million over the next two seasons, Parenteau needs to produce when it matters most, or his position will likely be under scrutiny for an upgrade during the offseason.

Varlamov stood tall against the barrage he was forced to endure during the games in Minnesota. During the opening period of each road game, merely advancing the puck out of its defensive zone often seemed to be an impossible for Colorado. The booth of radio broadcaster Marc Moser was directly behind me in the arena, and Moser screamed "Save by Varly!" so often, he probably should have paid the goalie a royalty fee.

As a result, the Avalanche's speed game has seldom been a factor. Rookie Nathan Mac- Kinnon, who skated the Wild silly during the two rousing Colorado victories that opened this best-of-seven series, barely touched the puck at the Xcel Energy Center. After generating only 22 shots during more than 65 minutes of the overtime loss in Game 3, the Avs produced a mere 12 shots in Game 4.

The Avs' Jamie McGinn (11) and teammate Nathan MacKinnon, second from left, celebrate a goal by Ryan O'Reilly against the Wild during the second period of Game 4 on Thursday at St. Paul, Minn. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Looking, searching and reaching for answers, Roy asked center Joey Hishon, a first-round draft choice in 2010, to make his NHL debut during the NHL playoffs.

The Avs desperately need offense.

Game 5 will be back in Denver on Saturday, which will be four weeks to the day when leading scorer Duchene went down with a knee injury.

"He won't play Game 5, for sure," said Roy, who made no comment about Duchene's availability later in the series.

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

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